SIGNS 3

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.      KJV

 

In our month of September, around this time the Jews somewhere at the beginning of the month it is marked by the new moon... It is at this time, by the word of the LORD there was to be a Holy Convocation… Convocation—meaning dress rehearsal…

 

This is a memorial set aside as the blowing of trumpets… It was called a Feast of Trumpets marked by the blowing of trumpets. This feast day was unlike the other six feasts which were at set times, this feast in particular could only be marked by the new moon…

 

·        When the new moon was sighted in this month of September, trumpets were to be blown to mark this Holy Day…

 

 This feast time was marked by the sighting of the new moon; a sign in the heavens… Genesis 1:14… Note specifically, this feast could only begin at the sighting of the new moon.

 

The Feast of Trumpets is also unique in that it is a two-day Feast; but it is a two-day Feast in which both days are counted as one… These two days were counted as one long day. This extended period, was to make allowances for Jews who had been dispersed in other parts who would learn of the start of The Feast of Trumpets by the sign of burning fires on mountaintops. The two days treated as one day, was to allow for all the Jews to celebrate the Feast together.

 

There were to be two witnesses that saw the first indications of a new moon. The witnesses would then run to the Temple and announce their sighting... The Sanhedrin; the 70 would then go through a ritual to verify and to determine where in the sky the witnesses saw the new moon… It was then they, the Sanhedrin would confirm if I indeed was or was not the new moon…

 

If accepted as a true sighting of the new moon, trumpets would be blown to mark the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets…

 

In the course of the ministry of Jesus… Jesus would make reference to much of what took place in Jewish history with these said feasts… We as gentiles would not know but as a Jew the culture and language only they would see the subtle references… However, we that make up the gentile church today would not see what would be hidden signs to us, but understanding to the Jews…

 

It can only be seen through their eyes because they know the language, they know their culture, they know their feasts and such like…

 

To note as in all languages there are idioms… An example of an idiom… “A PIG IN A POKE…” This was in ancient of times that while at the market… One would purchase a baby pig and they would place it in a tote sack… Often this idiom would give place to another idiom, “THE CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG…” Meaning that this idiom carried with it that the one who purchased a “A PIG IN A POKE…” Instead of a pig, there was a switch and as they got home they opened the bag only to find out they had a payed for an old alley cat instead of the pig they purchased… And thus at the opening of the bag; “THE CAT WAS OUT OF THE BAG…” ITS WHAT IS CALLED AN IDIOM… Very common… A more common idiom us today… “ITS RAINING CATS AND DOGS…” Not that it’s really raining; CATS AND DOGS… It’s just raining really hard…

 

The Jews also had idioms… And Jesus in some of HIS discourse, HE of course spoke being Jewish because as a Jewish man in that Jewish day practicing Jewish culture, Jesus also spoke with Jewish idioms…

 

This process connected with the Feast of Trumpets became known by a common idiom that marked the Feast of Trumpets at which NO ONE KNEW THE DAY OR THE HOUR when it would begin. 

 

Could Jesus with this idiom have been likening the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH to the Feast of Trumpets when He said??? “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only”(Matthew 24:36).

 

Such a possible idiom usage, if that was His intent, makes the connection with the Feast of Trumpets and the Rapture of the church...

 

The Rapture could occur at any time. But if we consider the idiom that may have been used by Jesus that refers to the Feast of Trumpets… Just a side note; we must consider that JESUS has fulfilled the FIRST four Feasts preceding the Feast of Trumpets… And doubly note JESUS FULFILLED THEM IN ORDER… And many messianic JEWS even say not just in order but to the exact day and time of each feast… (THIS IS A STUDY OF ITSELF…)

 

It’s a study and conversation about the Rapture worth having… While we see the connection of the Rapture of the Church with the Feast of Trumpets, we still do not know the exact “day and hour” of its occurrence… The importance of this knowledge is to (BE WATCHFUL AND IN PRAYER…)

 

 The idiom usage does make for one to consider the relevance of what and how Jesus in HIS choice of wording spoke with the very possibility of alluding to HIS coming again… What we if we look through study from the eyes of the Jew we would see as signs of HIS soon return…

 

The Feast of Trumpets is known by some other Hebrew idiomatic phrases.

 

1)     The Hidden Day – The Feast of Trumpets was known as The Hidden Day because of it being celebrated during two days that were counted as one.

 

The Feast begins at the sighting of the new moon in the month of Tishri. Therefore, it was believed God could hide the first sign of the new moon until He wanted it to be seen.

 

Satan’s attempt to confuse the calendar. The Feast of Trumpets was also believed that this Day was hidden from Satan because he couldn’t calculate when it would occur.

 

Some have speculated that Satan has purposely attempted to confuse God’s calendar with a Solar calendar.

 

The Antichrist is described according to scripture as one who will try to “change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25).

 

This may be an attempt to confuse those who are looking for the signs God has put forth in His Feasts.  

 

·        I know I want to be ready when Jesus returns and that consist of me being aware of the signs of HIS return...
·        I believe we are living in a day unlike any day that we have ever lived which demands for us to start looking for HIS return like we never have before…
·        I believe we need to study and watch and pray like were going some where …
·        I believe we need to witness and evangelize making people aware of the signs of HIS soon return…   

 

2)     “But My Father only” –

 

This idiom by Jesus in Matthew 24:36.

 

This is an idiom connected with the Jewish marriage ritual. When a couple was engaged the groom would then go to prepare a place, a home for himself and his bride. It would be built as an extension of His father’s house.

 

Only the father could determine or say when the new abode was complete releasing the groom to go fetch his bride. Jesus may have been making use of such an idiom.

 

In His words from John 14:2-3 we see a close possible connection with the idiom.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.    KJV

 

This would also be in line with the marriage supper of the Lamb as given in (Revelation 19:7).

 

3)     “As a thief in the night.”

 

Another Jewish idiom that is relevant for our study is “as a thief in the night.”

 

We find this phrase in;

 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night”

 

Jesus also used this phrase in his letter to the dead church at Sardis warning,

 

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3).

 

Jesus uses this idiom a second time later in the book of Revelation saying,

 

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15).

 

This last case becomes vividly clear that Jesus is very likely speaking in idiomatic terms.

 

The phrase “as a thief in the night” is believed to have referred to the Captain of the Temple guards or the High Priest who would move from post to post in the Temple checking to see that those on guard were awake and not asleep. If he found a guard asleep on watch he would take a torch and light the sleeping guards garments on fire to wake him up.

 

The Captain of the Guard or High Priest came to be referred to as “the thief in the night.”

 

This is important because, as Jesus taught, His return would not catch those off guard or asleep for those who are watching for Him…

 

Please note also only those who aren’t watching for Him will be burned (e.g. Matthew 25:1-13).

 

That’s the consequence of not being ready… Not on guard… Eyes closed, sleeping… Unprepared, busy with self…

 

4)      “The last trumpet.”

 

We find this phrase in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

 

The Feast of Tabernacles was characterized by the blowing of trumpets.

 

The shofar (trumpet) was blown 100 times during this Holy Day.

 

When it came to the end of the Feast the last blowing of the trumpet was referred to idiomatically as “the last trump/trumpet.”
This final trumpet blast, known as the Tekiah Gedolah, the last trump, was to awaken the listeners from their slumber and call them to repentance in preparation to the coming judgment… A SIGN…

 

The last trumpet blast will signal Christ’s Rapture call to the Church. But it will also indicate that the world is in the final stages of existence leading up to God’s Judgment Day for this sin sick world...

 

These are signs that otherwise very few have taken notice of or even know… Yet, right now Israel is looking for their Messiah… They have the red heifer ready for sacrifice (Numbers 19…)

 

They have all the temple furnishings to again start the tabernacle ways of worship…

 

They have the plans to build their third temple… They have the original cornerstone to set again for the rebuilding of their temple…

 

These are signs that the Jew presently have and are prepared in their looking for their Messiah…

 

What is your sign that you have prepared to soon meet your creator???

 

There were 10 virgins… These 10 virgins all would consider themselves to be ready... With their signs showing who they were... They had to have these to show to be prepared for HIS coming…
·        They were all pure…
·        They were all dressed rightly for it…
·        They were all at the right location… 
·        They all knew he was on his way…

 

These were signs of their readiness to meet the bridegroom… Yet, 5 were called foolish, for they had run out of oil… Their oil was insufficient and while they were gone to buy more oil, the bridegroom came... They missed their only opportunity…

 

They all had the signs but the one sign that was most needed; not just so they could see the bridegroom, but that HE could see them… They had no oil, thus no light to see or to be seen… A SIGN BUT AGAIN A SIGN NOT SEEN…